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Dazai changed before every meeting. He swapped out the garb of a detective for that of his true self.
The tan coat, which always felt so heavy with expectations and oppressive with limitations, was swapped for his comfortable black jacket. No one cared who he hurt or how he acted when he wore this. The coat was a gift from Mori and Dazai was a gift to the mafia, he could always be counted on to get the job done for them.
As he wrapped his extra bandages around his eye, he felt even more at peace. He didn’t mind acting when Mori needed him to, but at night, when he could wear his usual suit and go home to the mafia, that’s when he felt like he could truly be himself.
Not that it mattered. In the morning, he’d dress how he needed and act as he needed to play the right part. The mafia needed a spy, and he was happy to do it.
“Dazai,” Mori said as Dazai closed the door behind himself and made his way into Mori’s office. “It’s good to see you. How have things been progressing?”
“Ranpo’s growing more suspicious of me,” Dazai said as he took the seat next to Mori. “But I have it handled.”
“Mmm.” Mori took a sip from his glass of wine as Dazai helped himself to a glass of his own.
Ever since he’d joined the detective agency, Ranpo had clearly had his suspicions of Dazai’s loyalty. He’d managed to fool Kunikida into trusting him, and then everyone else in the office, but as long as Ranpo didn’t believe him, Fukuzawa wouldn’t fully trust him either.
“If he stays a problem, he’ll need to be dealt with.”
Dazai shook his head. “He’s too beloved by the agency. If something happened to him and they discovered we were part of it, we’d have a war on our hands.” It wasn’t worth the risk, not right now. He was sure that with a little more time he could have them all fooled. He’d gone a long way towards earning their trust when he helped protect Atsushi from the mafia.
If only the detectives knew that he was the one that told the mafia where the weretiger was to begin with.
“The guild went around us to confront the agency directly,” Dazai continued, “Just like you predicted.” Mori nodded at his words, so Dazai kept speaking. “If the situation gets worse, I’m sure we can arrange things so that it looks like they were responsible.”
Just like Mori, Dazai understood that no human life was more valuable than doing what was right for the Port Mafia. Just like he had four years ago when sacrificing Oda had meant that they got something more valuable than a man who wouldn’t kill for them: A skilled business permit. Of course he understood why Mori had done what he had. But that only made it easier to play on Ango’s sympathies to have him help get Dazai his role as a double agent.
He'd gotten the idea from Ango after all. How useful it was to have an agent in an enemy camp, and why couldn’t Dazai be that agent? With how emotional and illogical Ango was at the bar after he’d betrayed them, Dazai knew Ango would think Dazai would be emotional enough about Oda’s death to do something as irrational as quit the mafia. And with him convinced of that, Dazai had his ticket into either the government or the Armed Detective Agency. He had his pick, and he chose the one that seemed more useful and where he’d be less likely to be caught. But he hadn’t factored in Ranpo.
“Having the detective agency fighting them so we’re free to act as we please will be helpful,” Mori said. “But the Guild seems troublesome. I’m not sure we’re getting enough information from the detectives to justify keeping you there much longer. When you’re with them, we can’t use one of our strongest weapons.”
Chuuya. Without Dazai, they couldn’t use corruption. But Dazai thought he had a way around that if their latest enemy called for it.
“The detectives are worried about the Guild. If we play our cards right, I can talk them into working with us. Team me up with Chuuya and we can take on anyone you need us to.”
“Good,” Mori said, smiling as he took another sip. “Very good, Dazai. You’ve done well.”
“Of course, boss. Did you ever doubt me?”
Mori chuckled. “No, I know you’re my most loyal and dependable.” It was the rest of the world that didn’t see that. It was everyone else who saw reasons for Dazai to betray Mori. Dazai never saw them himself. He bled mafia black, he always would.